Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 79: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

46 PICK Wiux ABROAD. incomprehensible articulations of Mr. Winkie would allow it to be. Mr, Crashem was amazingly talkative, and Mr. Tims endeavoured to persuade his new acquaintances to accompany him toan English tavern, where he would introduce them toa society of gentlemen, principally in the lace-weaving line, called “The Odd Fellows ta would pro- pose Mr. Pickwick as Chatrman for the ev ening. But this handsome and flattering invitation was gratefully declined ‘by Mr, Pickwick, who, in the name of Kimself ard followers, pleaded fatigue as an excuse. The party accordingly broke up at an early hour; Mr. Pickwick, Mr. Boozie, Mr. Tupman, and Mr. Winkle retirmg to their respective couches, while Mr. Crashem and Mr. ‘Tims adjourned to the coffee- room HG drink brandy-and-water, discuss cigars, and converse on mat- ters the subject of which we shall not intrude upon the reader, Now it happened that Messieurs Crashem and Tims drank a very considerable quantity of Cognac, smoked a plurality of indifferent havannahs, and seemed to enter upon so excellent an understanding with each other, that, about midnight, when both were rather unsteady upon their pins, they mutually swore they would not retire to bed without ars bibl a ark * Whey accordingly debated in their own minds what species of “lark” should be adopted as the crowning inci- | dent of the evening: and aftera variety of propositions and objections, it was ir eek a esiiived to * toe old Boozie”—an agreeable and in- nmocent amusement, consisting of the simple process of entering clan. desttuely into a mi in’s bed-room, tying a string round his great toe, _and then pulling the said string with about the same force that one uses 1a ringing a front-door bell. “Do you know his room, Sug—Crashem, I mean?” enquired Mr. ‘Lims, tossing off the remnant ot his brat ndy-and. water. “Certainly,” ya nded the ge ioe thus interrogated. “Come along—he's s oun d a-sleep by this time—what a lark we'll have!” “ Won’t we2” echoed Mr. Tims: dl with these indications of their | extreme satisfaction, they ascend ed the stair-case together, provided themselves with a long piece of whip-cord in Mr. Crashem’s chamber, and then pigeebied 4g sey ti the front-room where Mr. Boozie was supposed to be sleep! ng: The coor was not locked—they accord - mely entered with stealthy steps and Mr. Tims succeeded in afixing one end of the string to one of the toes of the individual who occupied the bed, without awakening the intended victim. They then quietly ike retreate ed from the aj saga ene and closed the door with the utmost precaution, w vhile the ¢ cord, which passed underneath, was safely re- tained in the grasp of the facetious Mr. ‘Tims. ‘* Now for it,” whis be Mr Crashem; and Mr. Tims gave an ener- getic pull at the: string, which effectually aroused the mdividual to whose foot it was attached; so much so, that violent cries issued from the room, and threatened to alarm the whole hotel. Messieurs Crashem and Tims ig divin themselves into the chamber occupied) | by the former gentleman; and Mr . Tupman, aroused by the noise, leapt from his bed, wir rushed into the passage, crying “ Fire!” with all his might. Mr. Wink!e awoke in his turn, and ran out of hisroom, requesting to be informed what was the mz: atters when his foot caught. in a noose, and he fell gracefully and airily on his nose, while the! screams and shrieks from the front bed-room redoubled. ey comicbooks.com